The Anchorage Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, as part of its Senior Needs Assessment, is hosting a forum to dialogue with interested community members and providers serving seniors about emerging and future trends vital to community health and behavioral health care for the elderly. Please join us!

The forum will be held Wednesday, September 24 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Anchorage Public Library, Wilda Marston Auditorium.

A panel of medical providers will be given five minutes to offer an overview presentation of how their organization serves seniors/elders, followed by a moderated discussion highlighting these areas:

• What are the emerging trends in caring for seniors/elders in Anchorage?

• What is improving? What do we need to do more of? What needs to change?

• How are behavioral health care needs being met in your setting?

• Is access to care a concern?

• Are the seniors you are treating able to routinely fill their prescriptions?

• What are the most important recommendations for geriatric care in Anchorage?

We will then open up the forum to moderated questions from the Senior Commission and our audience, as time allows. We welcome seniors and their care providers to attend this forum, the second in a series of six to be held by the Senior Commission.

The Anchorage Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, a nine member public advisory appointed by the Mayor, is working with concerned community members, senior organizations and advocates examining ways to best serve the interests of seniors to improve the quality of life for all older Alaskans through education and advocacy. Our meetings are open to the public.

For further information contact Marie J. Lavigne, LCSW, Senior Services Coordinator, liaison for the Commission at the Municipality of Anchorage Department of Health and Human Services at 343-4763 email at lavignemj@muni.org.

Joan Fisher chairs the Anchorage Senior Citizens Advisory Commission.